India and Afghanistan will face off in a three-match T20I series at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi in September 2026, with Afghanistan officially designated as the host despite all matches being played on Indian soil. The series opens on 13 September, with subsequent fixtures on 15 and 17 September.

The Arrangement and Its Context

Afghanistan's practice of staging home fixtures outside the country is well established, with India and the UAE serving as its principal venues in recent years. The series forms part of Afghanistan's Future Tours Program and carries the full bilateral status that entails. Notably, this series will complete a three-format cycle between the two nations in 2026 — India and Afghanistan also met in a Test and ODI series in June 2026, following a three-match T20I contest in January 2024.

What the BCCI Said

BCCI President Mithun Manhas underscored the board's long-term commitment to Afghan cricket. 'The BCCI remains committed to supporting the growth of cricket in Afghanistan and providing its players with opportunities to compete at the highest level. Bilateral cricket is an important part of this, as it allows teams to play regularly against quality opposition and gain valuable experience. We welcome the Afghanistan Cricket Board to India for this series and look forward to working closely with them to make it a successful one. We believe there is scope to do more together and will continue to support Afghanistan cricket while strengthening the relationship between the two cricketing nations,' Manhas said.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia recalled the milestone of India hosting Afghanistan's historic first Test in 2018 and said the forthcoming T20I series marks the completion of a full bilateral cycle across all three formats in a single calendar year. 'We look forward to welcoming the Afghanistan team to Delhi and are confident that this will be an exciting and memorable series,' Saikia added.

Afghanistan Cricket Board's Perspective

Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Mirwais Ashraf described the series as significant beyond cricket alone. 'This series holds great significance for Afghanistan cricket and represents another important step in the development of our longstanding relationship with the BCCI. Hosting India for a bilateral series in India is a significant milestone for us, and we highly value the cooperation and support of the BCCI in making this event possible,' Ashraf said. He added that the series was expected to create 'valuable opportunities across commercial, technical, and cricketing areas.'

Delhi's Role and Venue Details

Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) President Rohan Jaitley welcomed the decision to bring the series to the capital. 'We are delighted to welcome both teams to the Arun Jaitley Stadium for what promises to be an exciting T20I series. I am confident that the three matches will give fans in Delhi an opportunity to enjoy some exciting cricket and further add to the rich history of international cricket at this iconic venue,' Jaitley said. All three matches will be held at the same venue, giving Delhi fans a concentrated window of international cricket.

Match Schedule

The full schedule for the Afghanistan-hosted T20I series in Delhi is as follows:

1st T20I — 13 September
2nd T20I — 15 September
3rd T20I — 17 September

All three matches will be played at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium, Delhi. The series represents another chapter in a cricketing partnership that has grown steadily since 2018, and both boards have indicated they see further scope for collaboration ahead.